Make Better Slow Cooker Meatloaf

Hi, I'm Gina Homolka, a wife; mother of two girls, Madison and Karina; creator of skinnytaste.com; and author of the New York Times best-selling books Skinnytaste Fast and Slow and The Skinnytaste Cookbook.

In this new column, I'll show you that cooking healthy, nutritious, and tasty meals for my two girls and picky husband, Tommy, can be quick and painless—as a mom with a full-time job, it has to be.

With my youngest daughter back in school (hello, homework!) and another book deadline looming, September is an extra-busy month for me. My solution? I let my slow cooker do the work while I'm away. I prep fun and easy twists on comfort classics, like this meatloaf, the night before or early in the morning, place it in the slow cooker, and go about my day. I make my version with lean turkey instead of beef; stud it with good-for-you black beans, corn, and green chilies; and smother it all with a mild enchilada sauce, Mexican cheese, and for even more heat, jalapeños. Trust me, this is not your mother's meatloaf.